Well, after newly elected Congressman Ryan Zinke (R-MT) started putting a boot down- it looks like the US Senate finally got to work…
As Politico reports in this breaking news update: The Senate has passed legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline with a 62-36 vote.
PREPARED STATEMENT FROM SEN. STEVE DAINES (R-MT)
Call me Rodney King, but we all want the members of our Congressional delegation to get along. However, when someone turns their back on their state and turns their back on a campaign promise, someone has to have the guts to call them out on it. Congressman Ryan Zinke (R-MT) is doing just that, and proving to Montanans that he is not going to just play the politics as usual game in Washington, DC.
In case you missed it, Zinke called out Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) for voting against the Keystone pipeline earlier this week, despite repeatedly campaigning in support of the pipeline.
Breitbart.com: Montana’s Sen. Jon Tester Flip-Flops On Keystone XL Pipeline
Now that Tester has flip-flopped, newly-elected Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) was quick to criticize him.
“Montanans expect their lawmakers to do what they say, and say what they do,” Zinke said in a statement to Breitbart News. “To me, a vote against the Keystone is a vote against Montana. I’m a proud co-sponsor of the House bill to build the Keystone XL Pipeline because it is proven to be safe and in the best interest of Montana. I will always put Montana before raising money from special interests in Washington, D.C.”
Of course, that final line is a clear reference to the fact that Tester is now heading up the DSCC and appears to be more interested in raising money from environmental groups than standing up for Montana.
UPDATE
Tester is now trying to explain away Keystone delay tactics with this Wednesday afternoon tweet (prepared statement):
By offering amendments we can make the Keystone bill better & increase bipartisan support. It’s time to build #KXL. #mtpol #jobs
— Senator Jon Tester (@SenatorTester) January 28, 2015
PRIOR POST
Click here for the full piece, but here’s an excerpt from my post Tuesday:
“Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me”- Tester Votes Against Keystone
“Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” You mean to say that Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) spent all those years using the Keystone XL pipeline as a way to pretend being a moderate, and now (in a critical moment) is voting against the Keystone Pipeline?
“Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” I wonder if he is now more worried about raising money for Senate Democrats in 2016 as head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC).
“Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” Didn’t Sen. Jon Tester boldly predict that the legislation approving the Keystone XL pipeline would be on the president’s desk in 10 days? Oh yeah, that was only 22 days ago…